Prior arrangements for mounting the mainspring and mainspring housing of a pistol generally have the lower end of the mainspring housing held in the handle frame by the use of pins passing through the frame and strut. Generally, these pins pass laterally through the handle frame below the mainspring and the mainspring strut. When these pins are removed for disassembly of the pistol, the mainspring can fly out of the bottom of the pistol with great force, with possible loss of the separate mainspring of the mechanism.